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Mildura

Mildura is a regional city in north-west Victoria, Australia. Located on the Victorian side of the Murray River, Mildura had a population of 33,444 in 2016.[1] When nearby Wentworth, Irymple, Nichols Point and Merbein are included, the area had an estimated urban population of 50,998[2] at June 2016. It is the largest settlement in the Sunraysia region. Mildura is a major horticultural centre notable for its grape production, supplying 80% of Victoria's grapes.[3] Many wineries also source grapes from Mildura.[4] Other key crops produced in the district include citrus, almonds and dried fruit.

The city's central business district is located just a short distance from the banks of the Murray. Langtree Avenue is the main shopping and dining precinct in Mildura, with the middle section of the street a pedestrian mall. The other major retail precinct is along Fifteenth Street in the Mildura South area, where a mid-sized undercover shopping mall and several big box stores are located. The city's name was taken from the Mildura homestead, an early sheep station which covered most of the area. The urban area of Mildura is surrounded by a horticulture area, known as the traditional pumped district, where the original grape and citrus blocks were located with water irrigated from the Murray River.

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There are several theories as to the origin of the name Mildura. While it was the name of the sheep station, without precedent in the English language, most historians believe it to have originated from Indigenous Australian words. However, the etymology of Mildura is not entirely certain as in several of the local dialects the words have different meanings. The word dura is generally thought to mean "earth", "sand" or "rock", at least in Latje Latje language. However, usage of the word mill can vary in dialect and is used to mean "red" or "water",[5] and thus, interpretations of the name can vary from "red earth" to "water rock".

William Blandowski's 1857 depiction of Jarijari (Nyeri Nyeri) people including men hunting, women cooking and children playing near Merbein, Victoria. A form of kick and catch football is apparently being played in the background.[6]

In 1886, Canadian-American irrigator George Chaffey came to Australia and selected a derelict sheep station known as Mildura as the site for his first irrigation settlement, signing an agreement with the Victorian government to spend at least £300,000 on permanent improvements at Mildura in the next twenty years.[7]

After much political wrangling, the settlement of Mildura was established in 1887. The Post Office opened on 23 January 1888.[8]

The nearby towns of Wentworth, Gol Gol, Curlwaa and Yelta sprang up in the mid-to-late 19th century. In the 1890s came the scourge of the rabbit. This devastated the sheep farmers, especially south of the Murray. There was also a financial recession at this time. Combined, these factors restricted growth of the new settlement.

After this period, the new settlement grew and grew. It was soon the main town of the district. Suburbs and new satellite towns sprang up. From the 1920s, a number of 'suburban' train services were established to Merbein and Red Cliffs.[9] These were operated by railcars.

Post war Mildura experienced a large influx of migrants particularly from European and Mediterranean countries including Italy and Greece. Many of these migrants were attracted by the unskilled labour offered by the fruit picking industry.

In 2004 there was a controversial proposal by the Victorian Government to build a state-level Long Term Containment Facility (LTCF) for Industrial Waste in Nowingi, approximately 50 km south of Mildura. The site is a small enclave of state forest surrounded by national park, and contains habitat important to a number of threatened species.

The abandoning of the LTCF proposal was received with jubilation by opponents of the LTCF not only in the Mildura area and elsewhere in Victoria, but also across the border in South Australia where there were fears that in reputation, if not in substance, the toxic waste could affect the water supply via the Murray River and thereby the fruit-growing industries of the Riverland and Murraylands.

The Mildura Rural City Council and residents spent almost $2 million fighting the Government's proposal for the LTCF at Nowingi. On 10 January 2007 the Victorian Government did not rule out some form of reimbursement for the Rural City of Mildura council's legal and other costs in opposing the LTCF. "The general rule is that people bear their own costs, that is most likely to apply in this case ... but I've indicated and I am prepared to talk to the council and mayor about the whole issue of how Mildura moves forward and I'll do that," John Thwaites said.[11]

Mildura is situated on flat land without hills or mountains on the southern bank of the Murray River and surrounded to the west, north and east by lakes and billabongs including Lake Hawthorn, Lake Ranfurly and Lake Gol Gol. Several towns surround Mildura on the flat plains including Merbein to the west as well as Irymple and Red Cliffs to the south which could be considered suburban areas or satellite towns separated by small stretches of open farmland.

While the land along the river and irrigation channels is fertile, much of the land around Mildura is also dry, saline and semi-arid.[12]

Mildura is a largely low-rise and low density urban area that is overwhelmingly dependent upon private automobiles for transportation. Residential dwellings consist almost solely of single-family detached homes on relatively large allotments. The population has been growing rapidly for several decades and most of the residential growth has occurred in the south-western and southern parts of the urban area.

The central business district is located at the northern end of the urban area, fronting onto the Murray River. The main shopping street of Mildura is Langtree Avenue, which features a pedestrian mall and shopping centre. However, this shopping precinct competes with the Mildura Central Shopping Centre, located at the opposite end of the urban area on the corner of Fifteenth Street and Deakin Avenue. Fifteenth Street is also the main strip of big box stores and other commercial enterprises.

The tallest buildings are the two storey 1934 Old Mildura Base Hospital, two storey Marina Dockside apartments completed in 2010 and the three storey tower/spire of the 1920s T&G building.

Mildura has a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk) with hot summers and cool winters. It is only about 50 metres above sea level despite being several hundred kilometres from the coast.[10]

Rainfall totals are about 280 mm a year and are spread evenly across the months and seasons with Winter and Spring having the most rainy days.[13]

Average maximum temperatures range from a hot 32 °C (90 °F) in summer to a mild 15 °C (59 °F) in winter. Minimum temperatures range from around 17 °C (63 °F) in summer to 4 °C (39 °F) in winter,[14] when frost is common and often destructive to irrigated crops. Mildura experiences some very hot days in summer with temperatures exceeding 40 °C (104 °F) on a number of days per year.[13]

Mildura is also known as the centre of Victoria's Food Bowl and is a major producer of citrus fruits (especially oranges), and wine.[citation needed] It is also notable for its grape production, supplying 80% of Victoria's grapes.[3] Many wineries also source grapes from Mildura. It also produces mores then 70%of Australia's dried vine fruits.

Mildura is part of the Fruit Fly Exclusion Zone, in which fruits or vegetables may not be taken into the area (they can, however, be taken out). This is to stop the fruit fly from invading crops and plantations which could have a devastating effect on the economy. Disposal bins into which fruit can be disposed of are located along highways entering the zone.

Mildura Central’s (Formerly Centro Mildura) extensive redevelopment in 2005 has positioned the centre as the major shopping destination within the Sunraysia region. Mildura Central is also the only fully enclosed, air-conditioned centre in this area and offers a retail mix including representation from a number of national fashion stores. Serving a primary trade area population of 60,000 residents, Mildura Central also receives consumers from beyond the trade area including the Riverland, Swan Hill, Robinvale and Broken Hill. It includes a large Target, a Big W to the side of Centro, a 19 aisle Woolworths and a Coles across the road

Mildura's location in Victoria and consistently strong local lobbying[17] has seen the Government of Victoria take an interest in the city as a possible centre for population and industry decentralisation programs.[18] There have been numerous proposals involving the state government for large scale developments and investments,[19] many ambitious and speculative that have been shelved indefinitely.

Given the large amount of sunlight Mildura receives, it has been proposed as the site for several proposals for large scale solar power in Australia including a massive solar updraft tower proposal in 2004[20] and 2010.[21] In 2013, Mildura Solar Concentrator Power Station, a 1.5 MW demonstration plant, was commissioned by Silex Systems and it was expected to be expanded to 100 MW by 2017. However, in August 2014, the project was abandoned by Silex, due to lack of commitment to renewable energy by the Abbott government, with plans to scrap the praised Renewable Energy Target (RET) in Australia cited as one of the main reasons for the abandonment of the project.[22][23][24][25] This decision has been extensively criticised by international scientists, who claim Australia risks being "left behind the rest of the world" if it cuts its plans for renewable energy.[26] The decision to not build the plant may also cause electricity prices to rise significantly in the country.[27][28]

Another large development which has been the controversial proposal for Mildura to be the site for Victoria's second casino.[29] The Mildura region has also been controversially proposed as a site for a waste disposal facility at Nowingi.

Mildura is host to many annual festivals such as the Mildura Country Music Festival, the International Balloon Fiesta, the Jazz Food & Wine Festival,[30] Mildura Wentworth Arts Festival,[31] Murray River International Music Festival,[32] Mildura Writers Festival,[33] Mildura Palimpsest,[34] and the Mildura Show.[35][10] There is also the annual Mildura masters coarse fishing competition held in November which attracts a number of international and local coarse anglers and the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show[36]

Mildura has nine Australian Rules football teams competing in the Sunraysia Football League; Imperials, Mildura, South Mildura, Irymple, Robinvale-Euston, Wentworth, Merbein, Red Cliffs and Ouyen United. Mildura also have a Junior Football League, ranging from age groups of under 10's to under 16's.[40]

Roller Derby is a growing sport in the region, with Mildura having their own league, (Mildura Roller Derby League) the team participates in competitions around Victoria and at least annually, will hold a tournament in Mildura.

The Sunraysia Rugby League is also based in Mildura and has six senior men's teams competing for the annual premiership. Rugby League matches are played from May to September.

The Sunraysia Cricket Association operates its competition between October and March annually. The SCA consists of 8 teams, Coomealla-Wentworth, Merbein South, Irymple, Mildura East, Mildura Settlers, Mildura West, Nichols Point and Workers-Gol Gol.

Mildura has a horse racing club, the Mildura Racing Club, which schedules around nine race meetings a year including the Mildura Cup meeting in May.[41]

Golfers play at the course of the Mildura Golf Club on Twelfth Street.[43]

The Sunraysia Baseball Association plays during autumn and winter and has six baseball clubs in the league; Hawks, Saints, Eagles, Wanderers, Tigers and Tornadoes formed in 2010.

Basketball also has a large following in Mildura with hundreds of teams in all divisions entered in the Mildura Basketball Association's summer league.

Association football also has a large following in Mildura, with there being a popular junior and senior league played during the winter months. The league consists of six teams, those being Three Colours, Mildura City, Mildura United, Irymple Knights, Cosmos and Nichols Point

Mildura is a very motor sports oriented town. It has several tracks in the region to cater for different types of motor sports including the Mildura Kart Club[44] (Go-Kart racing), Timmis Speedway[45] (Automobile speedway), Olympic Park Speedway[46] (Motorcycle speedway), Sunset Strip[47] (1/8 mile drag racing), and North West Victoria Motorcycle Club.[48] (Off-road motorcycle racing). The Mildura TT Circuit hosted the Australian TT in the 1950s.

In 1905, a small group of Sisters of Mercy came from Wentworth to Mildura and established a convent in a weatherboard building on the corner of Pine Avenue and Tenth Street.

Catholic secondary education commenced in Mildura in 1906 when the Sisters of Mercy began conducting classes in rooms attached to the original convent in Pine Avenue. The Certificate of Registration of a School dated 31 December 1906, indicates that sub-primary, primary and secondary classes were being conducted from convent at the time.

In 1911 boarding school facilities were provided in Olive Avenue and in 1914 a new school was erected in Walnut Avenue. The first buildings of St Joseph’s College at its present site were opened in 1929. The College has well equipped classrooms, science and computer laboratories, creative arts and design and technology complex, religious education centre, library, sports facilities, staff and student amenities.

The College has been closely linked with the development of Mildura since the opening of the irrigation settlement by the Chaffey’s in the 1880s. For example, in 1890 the Governor of Victoria, Lord Hopetoun, laid the foundation stone of what was to become the Chaffey Agricultural College, but unfortunately, because of financial difficulties, the College was not built. In 1911, the Education Department of Victoria agreed to erect a high school on the Chaffey College site, and Mildura High School was officially opened in September 1912. The Diamond Jubilee of the school was celebrated on the 8 and 9 September 1972. They celebrated their 75th birthday in August 1987 and in 2012 celebrated their centenary over the weekend of September 14-16th.

As part of a strategic plan by the Ministry of Education in 1990, Mildura High School changed its name to Mildura Secondary College to reflect the changing nature of educational delivery in secondary schools. Again as a result of restructuring in education provision since 1995 the College has been known as Mildura Senior College,[52] catering exclusively for the final two years of secondary education.

Mildura Senior College has a long and distinguished history of providing quality educational pathways to thousands of young people living in Sunraysia.

Mildura Senior College caters exclusively for Year 11 & 12 students. In 2013 there will be approximately 500 students in Year 11 and 400 in Year 12. Entrance to Year 11 is open to all students living in the Sunraysia District who have successfully completed Year 10. The decision regarding the satisfactory completion of Year 10 is the responsibility of the 7-10 College. Enrolment at the College is also dependent on factors such as age, behaviour record and other achievements. Please see the section on enrolment for further information.

Chaffey Secondary College is a Victorian State Government secondary school catering for students in Years 7 to 10 located in Deakin Avenue. In 2012 the college had 640 students enrolled. The college offers 120 to 140 different courses each term as part of its modular learning program. Students and families participate in a program of course counseling and student-led presentations each term to help students create the most appropriate course for their ability, pathway and interests. The college has a double-court gymnasium which it operates as a joint-use facility with the Mildura Regional City Council. The college operates a small theatre with seating for up to 220 persons.